The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral cancer incidence in British Columbia, Canada

Dental visits provide the perfect opportunity to check the mouth for changes including cancer (oral cancer). However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been interruptions to routine dental visits, combined with an increase in oral cancer risk factors, such as the use of tobacco and alcohol. It is important to know if the pandemic as an event has affected the characteristics and number of cases of oral cancer. Oral cancer, if found late, leads to lower chances of survival and increased complications to daily life related to delayed treatment. The goal of our research is to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the cases of oral cancer in British Columbia, Canada. Data on oral cancer will be collected from the BC Cancer Registry, which is a platform that stores information for all new cancers diagnosed in British Columbia. We will be comparing the trend in characteristics and number of cases of oral cancer before and after the pandemic. The proposed project will be able to address the research gap in evaluating the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral cancer trends beyond 2021, specifically in British Columbia. The results of this research will be able to direct screening efforts of health professionals and public health measures to support early prevention, detection, and management of oral cancer. This research can also provide the foundation for assessing future long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral cancer in British Columbia and globally.